Aerating device for minnow buckets and the like



AprilS, 1949. M. BLICKER ET AL AERATING DEVICE FOR MINNOW BUCKETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 16, 1945 Maw n M i w 7 y r 2 n 2 j i Z2 W J i W/WQ @31 y 5 3 000000 000000 0000 p L i 3 3 W Patented Apr. 5, 1949 AERATING DEVICE FOR MINNOW BUCKETS AND THE LIKE Meyer Blicker, Minneapolis, and Arthur M. Blankinship, St. Paul, Minn.

Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588,658

8 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in aerating devices for minnow buckets and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an extremely simple and highly eflicient aerating device that is applicable to a minnow bucket for aerating the water therein, thus making it possible to keep the minnows therein a relatively long time without undue loss thereof.

Another object of this invention is to apply a motor-driven aerating device in the usual opening in a standard minnow bucket and operate the motor from the battery of an automobile in which the minnow bucket is being transported.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had to the drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a standard minnow bucket, the cover of which is open, and having the aerating device mounted in the opening in the top of said bucket;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in central vertical section, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view partly in plan and partly in section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view principally in section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view principally in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The minnow bucket, shown in the drawing, is standard and of well known construction and includes an outer section 6 and an inner section 1. Said outer bucket section 6 is provided with a bail 8 having a handle 9. The inner section 1 of the bucket is provided at its upper end with a capping flange ID that rests on the rim of the outer bucket section 6 and supports said inner bucket section therefrom with its bottom spaced above the bottom of the section 6. Within the bucket section 1 is an endless circumferentially extended sheet metal member 1 that flares downward from the edge of the top of said sec-, tion at the opening l3 to the annular side of said section. This member 1', at its engagement with the bucket section 1 and its top, is soldered or otherwise secured thereto and forms an air chamber in the bucket section 1 at the top thereof. The inner bucket section 1 has in its lower end portion a multiplicity of holes I I, only a few of which are shown, for the ingress of water :1: from the outer bucket section 6. This inner bucket section 1 is provided with a bail I2 and has in its top a relatively large central opening I 3. The opening I3 is normally closed by a perforated cover I4 hinged at [5 to the top of the bucket section 1. A spring latch IE on the cover i4 is provided for holding said cover closed.

Referring now in detail to our aerating device, the numeral I1 indicates an electric motor, as an entirety, with the exception of its armature shaft l8 and wires I9. These wires l9 are to be attached to the battery of an automobile in which the minnow. bucket is being transported. For the purpose of this case, it is not thought necessary to show the battery.

The motor I1 is removably supported on and.

" above the cover l1 by three legs 20 on a collar 2| encircling said motor.. This collar 2| is transversely divided and the end portions thereof turned outwardly to afford a pair of apertured ears 22. A thumb-nut-equipped bolt 23 extends through the ears 22 and clamps the collar 2| onto the motor l1. The legs 20 are outwardly and downwardly inclined and their lower end portions are outwardly folded upon themselves to afford feet 25 that rest on the top of the bucket section 1 at the opening l3. The diverging lower end sec-tions 24 of the legs 20, below the feet 25, engage the edge of the top of the bucket section 1 and the flaring member 1. Broadly speaking, the leg sections 24, by their divergence, extend under the edge portion of the top of the bucket section 1 at the opening l3. These leg sections 24 perform two important functions, to wit: by their engagement with the edge of the top of the bucket section 1, they hold the aerating device against shifting movement in the plane of said top and by their underlapping arrangement with said top, hold said device from lifting movement relative to the minnow bucket. By bending the legs 20 to vary their divergence, the same may be adjusted to fit on minnow buckets having openings l3 that vary somewhat in diameter. The legs 20 support the motor H with its armature shaft I8 in axial alignment with the bucket.

A pump 26 is mounted on the motor H at its lower end and extends into the bucket section 1 through the opening l3. The pump housing 21 has on its upper end an annular capping flange 28 that is telescoped onto the reduced lower end portion of the motor l1 and secured thereto by short shaft 35 journaled in the housing 27. In

the upper end of the shaft 35 is an eccentric bore 36 into which the armature shaft l8 extends. The shaft 35 is connected to the armature shaft l8 by a coupling pin 31 secured at its'end portions to the shaft l8, extends transversely through the bore 36 and a notch 38 in the lower end portion of said armature shaft.

Formed with the pump housing 21 is a radial extension 39 having a water intake compartment 40 that is in communication with the chamber 3|. Formed with the housing extension 39 is a short nipple 41 onto which is telescoped the upper end portion of a depending hose 42 that extends substantially to the bottom of the bucket section 1. Also formed with the housing 21 is a radial spraying nozzle 43 that leads from the chamber 3|. This nozzle 43 has a multiplicity of small holes through which fine jets of water are discharged into the bucket section 1, above the level of the water 1;, in the form of an apron.

The eccentric connection between the armature shaft l8 and the shaft 35 holds the impeller 30 for rotation within the chamber 3| at one side thereof. Said impeller 30 has contact with the wall of the chamber 3| at one point only and that is just after it has passed the nozzle 43.

From the above description, it is evident that water drawn from the bottom of the bucket section I through the hose 42 and into the compartment 40 and the chamber 3| is carried by the brushes 33 around in the chamber 3| and thereby placed under pressure and forced into the nozzle 43 where the same is discharged therefrom in fine jets into the bucket section 1.

Obviously, these fine jets of water will carry a relatively large amount of oxygen into the body of water :n.

By springin the legs inwardly, the same may be released from their interlocking engagement with the bucket section 1 and thereby permit the entire aerating device to be passed through the opening I3 and stored in the minnow bucket.

To remove the aerating device fromv its stored position in the minnow bucket, it is only necessary to lift the same until the feet engage the top of the bucket section "I and then spring the legs 20 inwardly until they can be lifted through said opening. Upon releasing the legs 20 after they are through the opening i3, they will spring outwardly and position the feet 25 on the top of the bucket section I and their end sections 24 against the respective edge of said top and the member I.

The legs 20, which surround the pump, protect the same and in case the aerating device is laid on a support, the legs 20 will hold said device with the pump out of engagement with the support and thereby prevent the same from being moved out of alignment with the motor.

From what has been said, it will be understood that the aerating device is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosed and claimed.

What we claim is:

1. A device comprising an electric motor, a pump on the motor and driven thereby, a water intake tube leading to the pump, a water discharge nozzle leading from the pump, and means for supporting the device on a minnow bucket with the motor above the usual opening in the top of said bucket, with the pump within the bucket above the water level, with the intake end of the water tube in the water and with the nozzle positioned to spray water from the pump into the minnow bucket, said supporting means comprising legs that are springable to permit the entire device to be passed through the opening in the top of the minnow bucket and stored in said bucket.

2. A device comprising an electric motor having means for removably supporting it on the top of a minnow bucket above the usual opening therein without materially obstructing said opening, a pump suspended from the motor within the minnow bucket between its top and the water level, means for driving the pump from the motor, a water intake tube leadin to the pump and having its intake end close to the bottom of the minnow bucket, and a horizontally disposed discharge nozzle leading from the pump and arranged to discharge water directly into the minnow bucket between the top thereof and the water level.

3. A device comprising an electric motor having a plurality of circumferentially spaced diver ing legs removably supporting it on the top of a minnow bucket abovethe usual opening therein, a pump suspended from the motor within the minnow bucket between its top and .the water level, means for driving the pump from the motor, a water intake tube leading to the pump and having its intake end close to the bottom of .the minnow bucket, and a discharge nozzle leading from the pump and arranged to discharge water into the minnow bucket between the top thereof and the water level.

4. A device comprising an electric motor having a plurality of circumferentially spaced diverging legs removably supporting it on the top of a minnow bucket above the usual openin therein, a pump suspended from the motor within the minnow bucket between its top and the water level, means for ,driving the pump from the motor, a

. water intake tube leading to the pump and having its intake end close to the bottom of the minnow bucket, and a discharge nozzle leading from the pump and arranged to discharge water into the minnow bucket between the top thereof and the water level, said legs extending into said opening and engagin the adjacent edge of the top of the minnow bucket and thereby holding the device against shifting movement in the plane .of said top.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the legs are bendable :to vary their divergence and thereby adjust said legs to the tops of minnow buckets in which the, openings therein vary in diameter.

6. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the legs are springable to permit the legs to be contracted and to be withdrawn fromsaid top and permit the entire device to be passed through said openingand stored'within the minnow bucket.

'7. The structure defined in claim 4 in which the legs have depending diverging extensions that extend through said opening and under the respective edge portion of said top and thereby hold.

the device against lifting movement from the minnow bucket, said legs being contractable by springing to withdraw their extensions from un- REFERENCES CITED der said cover.

8. The structure defined in claim 4 in which i g; figgggf gg are of record in the the legs at their lower end portions are folded outwardly upon themselves to afford feet that 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS rest on the top of the minnow bucket at the open- Number Name Date ing therein and with the lower end portions of 1 247,761 west 27, 1917 the legs extending through said opening and un- 1 04 971 Churchill Nov 2 192 der the respective edge portion of said top, said 1839485 King Jam 1932 legs being springable to withdraw their lower end 10 1:849:303 Labaw Man 15, 1932 Pmfions from under said 1,856,818 Morgan May 3, 1932 1,942,064 Leveen Jan. 2, 1934 fggfifighgfig 2,137,397 Haldeman Nov. 22, 1938 2,261,830 Ditner Nov, 4, 1941 

